CHABAHAR, Sistan-Baluchestan Province -- Managing Director of the Oil Production Distribution Company (OPDC), Mohammad Aqababaei, Tuesday announced that Iran is among the world's major fuel consumers with its average daily consumption of 174 million liters.

Addressing a conference in this southeastern provincial capital city, Aqababaei said that on top of regular fuel consumed within the country, another two million liters of aircraft fuel is also being consumed by the country daily to operate its aircraft fleet.

He regretted the fact that the generally low fuel prices in Iran have not made people appreciate the value of oil products.

The official further added that currently there are 3.5 million vehicles in the country, 300,000 of which are trucks which consume 35 to 40 million liters of gas oil daily.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Aqababaei said that with the opening of gas stations in border points to sell oil products, the smuggling of fuel out of the country has been greatly reduced.

He said four stations are currently being established in the Sistan-Baluchestan border point, adding that more are to be set up in other border points in the future.

Pointing to the high rate of fuel consumption in the Province of Sistan-Baluchestan, Aqababaei said that while the entire country registered a nine percent increase in fuel consumption in the past nine months, the figure for the province showed a 14.5 percent increase. (IRNA)